Final Sacrifice
by inflamed muse
Summary: Ed and Al miss their home world of Amestris, and they'd do anything to get back. But will they risk it all? EdWin & RoyAi.
1. Prolouge

"C'mon Al!! We have to hurry!" shouted the former Fullmetal Alchemist. His blonde ponytail flying along behind him, Edward motioned for his brother Alphonse to hurry up. Al picked up his pace, and soon they were catching up to Noah, who was driving along in her vehicle. The young woman finally slowed down and feebly started apologizing, blaming her "bad hearing", although it apparently in all truth didn't exist.

Once getting themselves into the small car, they headed off for the Gate in their last attempt at getting home, along with Noah this time. They'd just have to risk it, like the Elric brothers always had before...

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The year is currently late 1924, and the Elric brothers have been trying to find a way back to their home world, Amestris. Following their venture through Europe to find and destroy the uranium bomb, they met someone else who knew about the Gate; Miles Hazard from London, England. Miles had been studying about it for the past two years, and explained the only way possible to even try to open the Gate once more. His exact words?

"Edward... Alphonse. The Gate will supposedly only open through the blood of your bodies. You must spell out your names and the place you are... Munich, Germany. Include Noah's name too, if she wishes to leave Earth. The Gate **should** open, but only if someone on the other side has it open. It is a major risk, Edward. Are you up to it?"

Edward had agreed... he'd do absolutely anything to see his old friends and comrades again. He missed his home, and so did Alphonse. They both agreed and set out to find the Gate again, and they didn't care what it took. They were going home.

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I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist at all, nor do I own any of the characters of the series. They are not my property, and I do not own the copyright. Suing me will not help. Thanks for reading!


	2. The Long Road

Yawning, the blonde nineteen year old sat up in his hotel bed. He looked over at the wall calendar beside his bed and sighed. He had been told that November 27th meant Thanksgiving—which in Edward's mind meant a plethora of food—but Miles had corrected him by saying that holiday was American only. The British people gave thanks by having a Harvest Festival, and it had unfortunately occurred in September, which had been two long months ago. At that moment, Edward's stomach gave a loud growl voicing its' displeasure.

"Shut up... I'm going to eat soon, I just gotta go find Al first," Edward hissed, seizing the tranquil moment of peace to beckon his brother to him. "AL!!! What's for breakfast?" The young man quickly pulled on some clothes and rushed downstairs towards the smell of kippers. But to his surprise—and disgust—he found his younger brother with his head in his hands, apologizing to the staff under his breath. Ed had completely forgotten about them staying in a hotel in London. He had gotten drunk last night, so it wasn't exactly his fault. And today he had a horrible headache, due to his slight hangover.

"... Sorry Al. I forgot about being here. Where's Noah?" Edward asked as he sat down on the opposite end of the table, trying to hide his embarrassment as much as he could. Alphonse looked up from his menu and pointed to the phone booth located outside of the building.

"She's phoning the operator to find out where we can get a map that'll show us how to get back to Munich... and who knows what else. Strange to say but, she reminds of Rosé from back home." Al commented, looking away in somewhat of a trance, probably remembering Rosé. Ed nodded in agreement as he absentmindedly ordered French toast and eggs.

When the food came, the former state alchemist couldn't hide his excitement over finally being able to fulfill his growling stomach's wishes... even though only a few minutes had passed. Stuffing as much food into his watering mouth, Ed heard the faint sound of footsteps coming over to them. Ignoring them for the moment, he took a gulp of orange juice and caught the glimpse of a hand before he felt it come into contact with his head.

"Ed! Didn't your mother ever teach you manners? It's only polite to say hello to 'strangers'! And Al, I didn't expect you to do the same as your elder brother here! It must run in the family" the familiar voice of Noah teased. Grumbling, Edward went straight to the point, wanting to avoid any awkward conversation this early in the morning.

"Never mind that, did you get the directions? That's what I want. It isn't Amestris we're talking about... I don't even fully understand this world yet. It's pretty screwed up. Nazis, Jews, Aryans... it all confuses me to no end. So...?" the blonde man demanded.

His answer came in the form of a sheet of paper; a copied text of what roads to take, vehicles needed, and obstacles that might get in their way. After glancing over it, Edward shoved the paper in his younger brother's general direction, and muttered about the first line of text being a given fact... he had already known they would have to get some sort of boat to get across the English channel and back over to France.

"So... what are we wasting our time here for? We need to get going, you two!" Ed exclaimed, throwing the remnants of his crumbs away, grabbing his coat and ushering his two companions out the door. _We're coming home Winry... General Mustang... Second Lieutenant Hawkeye... everyone...and **nothing's** going to get in our way..._

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Again, none of this belongs to me; characters, series in general, copyright (©), etc. Also, I would like to say that I do 'own' Miles for the sake of this fan fiction. You may not steal him in any way. And, I say "former state alchemist", because while on Earth, alchemy does not exist. Fin (end of this chapter... no, the story itself is not over yet!). XD


	3. A Gate of Blood

Note: This chapter takes place in Amestris, if you haven't already noticed by reading the first word. XD And yes, it is semi-RoyRiza... just 'cause I feel like it... and they look good together, DAMMIT!! XDD So, they will seem OC because well, they are. The series never had them together, so I had to create how they would react and... stuff. wanders off to do Health homework

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Roy Mustang smiled a sad smile. Today was his two hundredth time here at the Gate. He had tried to close it that time—which was now almost a year ago—but in the end, he just couldn't. He couldn't even force himself to, so he had organized a 24/7 watch guard over it, to make sure nothing went in or came out of it, unless it was the Elric's coming out. The Flame Alchemist couldn't hide it anymore... he missed those two boys, and really, who wouldn't? They had been great kids for the time Roy had gotten to know them.

Alas, the General still had his doubts that the young men wouldn't come back, and for that reason he had issued that this guard only be placed here for three years—after that, the Gate would be permanently closed on Amestris. Roy sighed and checked in with Lieutenant Ross for any complications that might have happened with the Gate, and then walked over to Riza Hawkeye. Smiling softly, the state alchemist kissed his love on the cheek.

"So, Riza... how's it been? You know I haven't been able to talk to you in three days now, and that a pretty long time for me, dear. Based on the fact we've been dating for six months now."

The gun-wielding woman lowered her stiff stance for a moment, and hugged Roy, smelling in that cologne he always used now. And he wore it for her... just because she liked it. _How sweet... _was the only thought that came into the woman's mind as she let go of her boyfriend.

"How's that for an answer, Roy? I've missed you, too. Ah, and some, eh... blood just appeared here," she pointed to some of the red liquid on the ground, "... It came from the Gate. Do you think—" but she was cut off by the soft touch of Roy's fingers. He stopped down and slid his gloved hand onto the blood.

"Get someone to test this blood immediately, Lieutenant Hawkeye. Find out who the 'owner' is. I don't need this plan to get screwed over; I've gone into too much intricate detail to get those boys back home where they belong. Research everything you find, absolutely everything. Now, Riza, please..." the man said, his mood suddenly taking a sharp u-turn. If anything went wrong with this operation, there was no way in heaven that he'd ever be Fuhrer. Yes, the Flame Alchemist still wanted to become Fuhrer, but now for sole the reason of doing justice for Amestris... not just for his own selfishness.

Riza nodded before Roy gave her a goodbye kiss, and gave the initial salute before lowering his head. _Dammit... those boys, why did they do this to us? Even Winry... even she moved to Central after Pinako died three months ago, however hard it was to leave Resembool. She even dedicates most of her to Ed and Al, and comes here every week to check on things. Dammit all..._ But in the end, Roy was lying to his own self... they were the foolish ones. The two alchemists might not ever want to return home... they might really like their new life in the parallel world. They might never come back, even though the Gate was still open and waiting for them here. _Speaking of Winry... ah..._

Roy looked up again as he saw the blonde woman walking towards him, her eyes looking as hopeful as ever, but Roy knew that was only what the outside showed. They all missed him, and really, Winry should be crying right now. They all should, but they couldn't, not yet, at least. That would be a sign of giving up hope forever, and that just couldn't happen right now.

"Hello, Ms. Rockbell... I trust you're fairing pretty well in Central City?" the General asked, in hopes of starting a light-hearted conversation.

"Ah, um... yes, General Mustang. I've been working for a professional auto mail mechanic for two weeks now. He's better than me, that's for sure. His designs are so intricate... I don't think I'll ever be able to beat him. And you can call me Winry, General. It isn't like we just met, you know," she replied, laughing a bit.

Roy stepped up onto the defensive plate, having a good comeback now. "Ah, but you just contradicted yourself, Ms. Rockbell. See, you still call me General Mustang even though I've known **you** for so long... you understand? With that further information, I'll give you a deal. You start calling me Roy, and then I will, in turn, call you Winry from now on. Get the idea?" The state alchemist quirked his eyebrow in amusement, and couldn't help but be proud of himself.

"Okay, _Roy_. How's that? Is it better?"

Roy smiled and patted the young woman on the head in an affectionate manner. "Yes, yes, _Winry_. Much better. Now, can you come with me? I have something to show you, or rather, Riza Hawkeye does. Do you remember her?"

"Yes... is she the one who's good with guns?" Winry asked.

Roy nodded as he led her into the examining room, preparing himself for what might come. _Better not tell her yet... that I'm dating Riza or about the blood incident. Both would stir her up in an unfashionable manner (screaming, yelling, a little temper tantrum), and we wouldn't want that here. She might throw around some of those overly expensive glass testing tubes... that would not be good at all..._

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And, thus ends another chapter. My muse sort of died in the last two paragraphs or so, but I just feel like updating. I don't feel the need for a long-winded speech about not owning the copyright, ok? Just don't sue me for the hell of it. I don't have anything, anyways. . And sorry for those who now probably hate me now for letting Pinako die. It will be an important part to the storyline in the future, mainly with EdWinry. Yes, I am leaning towards that pairing. xD Bye


	4. Amestris' Ocean

"Um, brother? You don't need to get me the child's ticket anymore. I **am** seventeen now..." Alphonse said while they walked onto the boat. This time, the ticket man took Al's child ticket, but he had warned them next time that the cut-off age for children was twelve years old, and Alphonse was way beyond that by now.

"I know, Al. But it did save us money, did it not? Yes, please bow down to the money saver, Noah," Ed smiled as Noah bent down to pick up some spare change. Once she stood back up, she gave Ed a disapproving stare and threw the change in his face, while muttering something about not ever bowing down for him.

"What the hell?! Noah!!!" Edward screamed, running after Noah, not even bothering to pick up the change again. Al shook his head and picked up the change for them, because they might need it later on if they couldn't get jobs to even pay for food...

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_Later that night... _

"Great food..." Edward remarked, rubbing his now full to the brim stomach. The four start cruise ship they were on did indeed serve great victuals. Tonight they had been treated to unending shrimp, French fries, and other vegetables. Ed, with his iron stomach, had also ordered a slice of chocolate pie. And I would be surprised if he didn't throw up. But, once the check was paid, he was actually able to walk out onto the ship deck and admire the waves crashing around them.

"I never saw the ocean in Amestris... a few rivers and lakes, but that's it. I don't even know if there **is** an ocean in our home world. Is there, Al?" the blonde asked. _Maybe there's one on the outer edges, but we never ventured that far. We should do that someday when we get home. That is, if we ever arrive home._

"Ah, yes. There is one, brother. Don't you remember General Mustang telling us if we wanted to see the ocean, we should've gone on that mission we didn't go on? But, you just yelled back saying you didn't 'care about no damn ocean'..."

Edward looked over at his younger brother and furrowed his brow in concentration, trying to recall that conversation. _What does he mean? I don't remember him telling us... oh._ "You mean... that time when I was having a bad day?" Ed sighed.

"Brother, you were always having 'bad days' back then. But, yeah. You were in one of your worse moods that day. Anyways... hey! It's the coastline!" Al shouted with glee. And the lights of the dock were finally appearing along the coast of France. They would soon be on the way towards their ultimate goal.

As the ship docked, Edward and his two companions were one of the first ones to get off. A taxi was waiting for them, and this time, they were lucky. They had one of the nicer taxi cab drivers, and he even gave them a brochure for the town they were in, complete with a list of favorite and most praised hotels around the surrounding area. Once they all agreed on a three and half star hotel, they set off, still unaware of the horrors that awaited them...

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I hope you liked it! And yes, the next chapter will be a continuation of this one, and the next one after that will take place in Amestris, right after the events in chapter two. I also don't own anything except for the ideas. And yes, "scary" things do await them all, I just don't know exactly what yet. But I'll think long and hard (maybe not too long) on that, trust me.


	5. Cheated The Gate

**_On the way to Paris, France..._**

"AL!!! WATCH OUT!" Edward screamed, trying to steer the wheel away from the oncoming car. But in doing so, he accidentally made it where his brother's arms twisted the steering wheel towards the car. The impending crash came with a loud bang and Edward felt himself being flung out of the small car him and his two companions were in.

He landed on the pavement, and felt the sting of blood as it came out from his cheek. Glancing up, he saw Alphonse to the right of him, and Noah was lying in the grass, inspecting her damages, if there were any. Then, he saw a woman with light blonde hair running over to them, presumably the person who had been in the other car. ..._ Winry? _She looked exactly like her, but... it couldn't be her. _Her copy, the 'Winry' of this world. Oh Gods... dammit._

"Oh, I'm so sorry..." she apologized, putting her hand out towards Edward. Looking up, the blonde smiled and knew what was different. _Ha... our Winry wouldn't be like that, at least not to me. Unless... I was dying!_ And so, the dumbest question came out of Edward Elric's mouth.

"... Am I... dying?" he asked, grabbing her hand in return. She lifted him up, and still, to Ed's disgust, this Winry was at least an inch taller than Ed. She quirked her eyebrow in concern, and felt Edward's forehead, probably to see if the man had a fever.

"Um. No, I don't think so," she replied, laughing. "I'm Isabelle Harvard," she continued. Ed blushed from the sound of her voice (it was very much like Winry's), only to find that he felt two other presences behind him.

"I'm Edward, Edward Elric. You can call me Ed. This is my younger brother, Alphonse. And, finally... Noah," he said, pointing to his respectful companions as he introduced them.

"Brother? How'd you know we were here?" Al whispered into the blonde's ear.

"Instinctual, Al. I just have that... gift." Ed laughed, patting his younger brother on the back. He turned his attention back on this Isabelle, and felt a sweat drop form on his forehead. "Uh, I should be the one saying sorry, Wi—Isabelle. Sorry, you just remind me of someone else I know. Her name's Winry."

"OH Ed's flustered! Does Edward like Winry?" Noah interrupted, giggling mischievously. The blonde fixed his cold, hard stare at the darker toned woman and pointed his finger at her. "Shut up! You don't know anything about her, Noah!" His temper was slowly rising, just like it did whenever he was called short. Alphonse backed away, knowing all too well what might happen, and beckoned Isabelle towards him.

"What's going on, Alphonse?" she hurriedly asked once she reached the brunette. Al just shushed her, pointing at the two people before them. A visual example would tell her more than his words.

And then, a powerful and hilarious scene unfolded. Edward started cursing and jumping up and down like he did whenever some called him a shrimp, Noah picked him up by the shoulders and laughed, watching the blonde go on ranting and raving, until he ran out of breath. Isabelle was laughing her heart out afterwards, unable to hide her obvious happiness.

"I've never... laughed... like this... since I was child!" she gasped, holding onto Alphonse for support. Al laughed while he watched Edward walk over with Noah.

At this point, both of the cars were slightly smoking for the engines, but no one noticed until a police car drove by, turned back around, and stopped before them. Even though the two Elrics knew that they had landed themselves in trouble again, the appearance of the man in the car shocked them the most.

He looked exactly like Dorchet from Amestris. The same thought ran through the brothers' minds. _He's supposed to be dead in our world! _But then, Edward realized something. Officer Hughes was dead in Amestris, but not in this parallel world.

"It seems to me that you all will have to come down to the station to spat this out. You know, insurance costs, the such. Okay with you all?" he kindly asked, welcoming them all into his car while he wrote down the directions on how to get back here if needed, and for the tow people.

"Ah, sure... officer--?" Isabelle asked, stepping into the mid-size car... He still hadn't told them his name.

"Dorchet, my dearie. Call me Dorchet. I don't like the whole officer deal. You three coming along, too?" he inquired, looking at Ed, Al, and Noah. His gaze lingered on Ed and Al for a moment longer, but then he turned around and put the car into gear.

_Dorchet! He even has the same name as that damn chimera! What the hell is going on?! _Edward thought, but he soon heard the engine sputter and slowly take off, without him in it.

"Wait up!!!" he yelled, running along beside the vehicle, until Dorchet finally slowed down to almost a stop.

"Well, I couldn't wait forever could I now... Ed?" he laughed, opening the door for the blonde man. Edward's eyes opened in shock as he thought... _He knows my name!!_

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Okay, yes. Dorchet is the same chimera from Amestris. In this story, he actually never died in Amestris—he transported himself to Earth through the Gate. Don't ask why, but he did. I'll leave the rest to suspend you until chapter five. Next chappy will be taking place in Amestris. **Please R&R!**


	6. Winry's Heartache

**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA at all. Although I sometimes wish I did...

**A/N:** This chapter takes place in Amestris, right after the events of Chapter 2. Enjoy the cliffhanger, too! -snickers- And also, please review. I'd appreciate it.

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Winry followed the General obediently to the examining room, whilst looking at all the people around her. Some were typing up reports on typewriters, while others were walking around with small clipboards... apparently taking notes on other people.

_Are all these people aiding in getting Ed and Al back? _The light blonde pondered, taking in a last look at them all as she walked into the examining room. _If they are, that's great. They might find them faster that way..._

"Um, Winry? Hello?" she saw a hand waving back and forth.

"Wh—What? Oh. Sorry, Roy..." she sighed, snapping out of her trance. Roy led her over to a long table labeled ∞. _Infinity? Why in the world...? _

"Winry. I've brought you here, because we—or rather First Lieutenant Hawkeye—found some blood that had come out of the Gate. It was enough to match the amount most humans have inside of them. As you see," he pointed over to a few scientists, "these men are figuring out who this blood belongs to. If we come up with no match, it will be someone who isn't from Amestris. If we do, we'll know who. Don't worry. I'm positive it won't be Edward or Alphonse." The raven-haired man smiled over at Winry, trying to encourage her. But Winry still had her doubts.

_No. It can't be them... no! But, Edward. He can't die. I need him!! I moved here just for him and Al. And... Aunt Pinako asked me to keep a watch on this place, just for the sake of those guys. They can't die on us!_

"Winry Rockbell?" a female voice asked. The auto mail mechanic looked up from the ground and saw a blonde woman in a military uniform looking down at her quizzically.

"Ah, um... yes. Are you First Lieutenant Hawkeye?" Winry said, smiling at the older woman. But before she heard a verbal answer, she felt warm arms encircle her body, and a head resting upon her shoulder. So, this **was** Riza Hawkeye. Winry couldn't believe that she had almost forgotten about her. But, she hadn't seen her in over a year and a half now, so it was very probable.

"Yes, I am. You don't remember me, Winry?" Riza asked, withdrawing from the one-sided hug. By all accounts, Winry had had a reason not to hug back. She hadn't really known who it was at first!

"Um... at first I didn't. But now, I do. Don't worry. So... are those men—have they found anything yet?" the blonde said, glancing over at the five scientists who were all huddled around a blood sample. Roy was over there with them, reading a document they had just typed up. His eyes showed no remorse, but instead, his eyes lit up like fire.

"Dammit! How can this—this can't be right! Loa died! No... This isn't right!" the General yelled, slamming the paper back down on the desk.

Riza and Winry were taken aback by what Roy had just said. They both had guessed who this Loa was—Winry had heard about him from Ed, and Riza had learned through some military files. He was a chimera—a dead one at that, along with Dorchet.

"Roy? Do you mean _that_ Loa? You know... the bull chimera?" Riza asked, walking over to the dark haired man.

Roy turned towards Riza and nodded sadly. "They even showed me that some of his blood... wasn't exactly like a normal human beings. I don't know. He's supposed to be dead! But—it is right. There is no other possible explanation. At least... it isn't Fullmetal or Alphonse's blood. That means they're still alive, hopefully."

"Hopefully?!" Winry interjected, looking as if she were about to cry. "They can't die! They just can't!" She slammed her fist down onto the table, unable to control her sudden outburst of anger.

The couple looked over at Winry, and both came over to her. Again, Riza was the only one who touched her shoulder in a sign of compassion, but Roy said the words.

"Winry... you can't let yourself get worried like this. It's not good for your health—mental and physical. ... Wow. I'm sounding paternal now... sorry. Lieutenant, do your mushy stuff or whatever you females do to comfort each other. I have to go and look at those papers again..." the General said, leaving the two women alone. Winry felt her cheeks grow to a shade of hot pink; not because of them being alone, but from pure and total embarrassment. She had never meant to act like this in front of adults, and especially not ones who knew Ed and Al so well.

"... Well, it seems as if the big macho General couldn't handle all of this," the Lieutenant said, laughing. She pulled out some chairs for her and Winry, and invited her to sit down across from her. Swallowing hard, the young woman obeyed and sat down.

"Winry? Come on, look at me..." Riza said, patting Winry's hand somewhat affectionately. Sighing, Winry looked up at the woman, silently wishing she could just disappear from this place.

"Ok. That's better. Now, I know that you miss those two very much, but... you have to face the facts. There are a total of one hundred and fifty people working down here each and every day—all of them doing odd jobs in order to help in any way to get those two alchemists back home. You can see that, can't you?"

Winry nodded, although she still couldn't get those thoughts out of her mind. Every day they got stronger, more profound. Nothing could stop the invasion of them.

_Why doesn't anyone understand? I've known them both since I was a toddler. They were my two best friends. Al... Even though he was in a suit of armor for a few years, I still remember him as vivid as ever when he was younger, and none of them know. Such a sweet boy. Not at all like Edward. Ah, Edward... oh no. Oh, no!_

Tears were welling up in her eyes now, and she felt a sob rise up in her throat. She had to get it out, even if it was in a feeble whisper. In any case, only Riza would hear it.

"But... you don't understand, Lieutenant. I—I love... Edward Elric..."


	7. A Note For Sanity

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA...

**A/N: **Um... I have nothing to say right now for this chapter, except that the next one will be in our world. That's strange. XD

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"_But... you don't understand, Lieutenant. I—I love... Edward Elric..."_

Riza felt a sharp shot of pain course through her body. _W-What in the world? Oh my, God. _Hearing those words, Riza knew that Winry was speaking the honest truth. The way her voice had only been a whisper...and how it had also quivered when she said Fullmetal's full name. The lieutenant eyed her surroundings, trying to see if anyone else had heard those words. The general and the scientists were still deeply immersed in the paperwork. They hadn't heard anything.

_Good. But, it is ironic to see an alchemist working in terms with scientists. They're rare to find in Central, because alchemy outweighs physics in this world. But, they do have their unique skills that we desperately need around here. Anyways... back to the matter at hand._

The lieutenant cleared her throat and placed her hand on top of the mechanic's, and comforted her with a few words. After Winry had calmed down, Riza asked the question that was burning her conscience.

"Winry, why didn't you tell anyone before now?"

She watched while Winry put her left hand into one of her jean's pocket, and slowly pulled out a note. It was folded into sixths. Once finished unfolding it, Winry slid it over to Riza's side of the small table. It read like this:

_Dear Edward,_

_I don't really know why I'm writing this. You were just here two weeks ago, but then you disappeared, along with Alphonse. You've both left me now, and Auntie Pinako is on her last bearings with this progressive cancer she got just a few weeks ago... I'm afraid she's going to pass on soon. And then... who will I have left? I could go to Liore and live with Rosé, but I know I would just be a burden to her. _

_What should I do? I guess all I can say is that I wish you would come home with Alphonse by your side, like you always have before. I've always waited for you two to come back home, but now I'm just terrified you'll never come back. So, now I've decided to check out this auto-mail mechanic in Central City. He's offered me a job a week ago, and once Auntie... passes on... I guess I'll be going there. At least then I can check on the progress that General Mustang has made each week._

_I miss you Edward. Please come home soon... my love._

_Best wishes,  
__Winry Rockbell_

_12-17-1923_

"As you can see, I keep this for my own sanity. Or, that's what I tell myself. Do you think I'm crazy, Riza?" Winry croaked, noticing tears were rising up in her eyes again.

The lieutenant shook her head as a no, and stood up from her chair. At the sound of it pushing back on the hardwood surface, Roy glanced over from reading over the scientists' intricate notes. He started coming over from the way Riza's face looked, but Riza sadly just raised her hand up as a way of saying 'don't come over here right now', and he turned back to his work.

When the sniper reached Winry, she bent down and hugged the young woman as Winry held her head in her hands whilst crying silent tears. Riza rubbed her hand on Winry's back in a motherly way, and calmed her down a second time in a matter of mere minutes. _She's gone through so much in just a year's time..._

"I'm sorry, Winry. I can't really understand your pain right now, because I've never lost Roy—except for that time he became an enlisted man—but now, all I can say to you is that I'm sorry," Riza whispered, letting go of Winry.

Winry jerked her head up instantly, and her mood changed from somber to inquisitive. _Did she just suggest...? I knew this would happen to them! It was so obvious! How did I not notice?_

"Did... you just imply... that you and Mustang are... dating?" Winry implored.

To that sudden and unexpected question, the lieutenant's eyes widened in apparent shock. _Dammit! Did I say that out loud?! Well, she deserves to know anyhow. I guess I'll just go ahead and tell her._

"Oh, yes. I didn't mean for it to come out like that though, with your current situation. I'm sorry. We... started dating six months ago. It's surprising how you never found out... Roy wasn't that conspicuous about it all, in my opinion. But since the Führer hasn't said anything yet, I suppose I'm wrong."

Winry laughed for the first time since she had entered the examining room, and Riza smiled. Roy walked over from the other side of the room, and laid a stapled group of papers before Lieutenant Hawkeye.

"Yep, it was him. We have the proof in Loa's blood. It has the elements of a bull in it along with the human elements. It's definitely him, alright. He was the only bull chimera in Amestris. The only thing I have to do now is figure out how a dead Loa could have cheated the Gate like Edward did. So, are you two ladies done here?" the general asked, picking up the papers again and putting them into a satchel he had carried over with him.

The lieutenant smiled and saluted, but before they walked out the door, Riza asked if Winry wanted to sleep over at her house tonight. The mechanic replied with a maybe... she'd just have to ask Falere first—the auto-mail mechanic she worked for and stayed with.

"Okay, then. Just knock on my door whenever you feel like, Winry," Riza laughed, handing Winry the directions to her house.


	8. Not So Dead Chimera

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Seriously, I live in a box on the street. ... HAHAHA! YOU BELIEVED ME?? ... Actually, the only thing I don't own is Fullmetal Alchemist... or any other copyrighted things. So, yeah...

**A/N: **I think oil _does_ smell to humans, but I don't really know for sure (like, 100). So just go with the flow, okay? Pretend it doesn't smell like anything to us in this story. Nada. No smell... okay? Good... person-who-will-read-this-and-review! Please? 3

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Taking in the scenery off of the old country road, Edward thought it was slightly ironic that the terrain around northern France reminded him of how Resembool had looked. Soft, rolling hills with flat grassy fields in a few empty spaces... it was wonderful, even some of the towns in this world resembled some of the towns in Amestris. A few farms were scattered every seventy or so miles, and throughout most of the ride, everything was peaceful, save for the humming of Officer Dorchet's radio.

_Speaking of Dorchet... I still need to find out how he knew my name._

Edward snapped out of his semi-trance and looked towards the police officer, noting the serious expression on his face. So, this was the Dorchet from their world. There had been minor differences in the alternates they had found before Dorchet—Isabelle, Mabuse, and Officer Hughes. Isabelle... well, she had brunette hair, and the other two... Hughes was the only one who had shown anything opposite from the Hughes that was dead back home.

_So, how do I know that this is the same Dorchet from Amestris?_

And then, it dawned on him. The chimera was combined with a dog. He had a heightened sense of smell, and could run faster than the normal human. _Smell... that could be used in the car. But what?_ He looked towards the front seat and saw a purse. He started to open his mouth when Isabelle noticed what he was doing and instead handed him her purse—she was sitting to the right of him, next to Al.

"But, why do you need a purse for?" she asked as Edward dug his hand into the middle part, groping for any type of sweet-smelling substance. He took a subtle whiff of the woman and knew his answer.

"That..." he lowed his voice to a whisper, "perfume you're wearing—is it in here? I was wondering what it was called. I might get it for someone I know... it smells good enough for her."

"Yes... but you're looking in the wrong pocket, and I barely have even a drop left," she giggled, taking the purse away from him and getting it out herself. She handed it to him and he put it up to his nose, smelling in the fragrance as best as he could. _...Needs something else so it'll smell bad to Dorchet. Even with this little left, he should be able to smell the reek coming from it_.

The blonde bent over in his seat and took the small bottle of oil (for the car, because there weren't any gas stations around for miles) from Alphonse's hands as he slept. The oil gave off next to no smell at all to Ed or his companions, but he was sure once he had mixed in a tad of it with the perfume, it would provide a nasty enough aroma to cause the officer to vomit up his lunch... and possibly breakfast. That would be the sign that would truly expose the chimera for he was—_or is_, Edward thought.

He carefully opened the lid to the small bottle and poured a miniscule amount of oil into the perfume. Before sitting the bottle of oil next to him, he checked to make sure Isabelle wasn't seeing what he was doing to her perfume. Once sure she hadn't seen what was happening, he closed the top again and shook around what was in there, so that the two substances would mix and create a _fairly_ unpleasant smell for the officer. _Hopefully it will work... come on Dorchet, say something!_

"What the... what in the world is that—oh, damn it all!!! ..." Dorchet managed to say before he opened his car door in a rush and threw up onto the dirt road. And trust me; what he vomited back up was not a pretty sight. It looked like it did include his breakfast, but Edward couldn't tell what exactly this new-founded chimera had consumed for breakfast—it could have been close to anything.

The whole rest of the occupants in the car grimaced as the retching sounds continued, and Al, Ed, and Noah took this chance to scram out of the vehicle. Isabelle, however, paused for a moment before following them into a small forest off the side of the country road. _Well, at least she has a conscious to help others. Not hit them in the head with hard as hell wrenches like Winry did..._

"What just happened, you three? Did—did someone do something to him??" she asked, turning her head back every few seconds as they ran further into the forest.

"I don't have any time to explain now, Isabelle! Nor to you either, Noah! Just follow me and Al! HURRY!!!" Edward bellowed, motioning for the two women to pick up their paces. If they didn't get out of his nose's zone soon, they'd be dead in no time... without their alchemic powers or any type of gun; they were doomed from the start.

"Brother! Why didn't you think of the aftereffects of his enhanced sense of smell first!?" Alphonse demanded, running straight in line with his older brother. _Dammit! I have no idea why! Gah. This... sucks._ After a few moments of pure silence, he looked over and saw Al nod his head in understanding.

Once they reached the edge of the forest, Al leaned against a nearby tree to catch his breath, while the brothers waited for the two girls to follow up soon and reach them. Around four minutes later, the girls found the two alchemists. Although they were panting, a smile had formed on both of their faces. Noah nodded to Isabelle, and the alternate Winry asked, "Well, Edward? Didn't you promise us that you would explain what happened back on the road?"

The Fullmetal alchemist smacked his forehead, feigning forgetfulness, but Isabelle quickly pulled his hand away and held it in hers, giving him an almost stern look. _Good lord, she's more like Winry than I thought. Her grip is just about as strong as Winry's is... _

"Okay, okay. But, be prepared—especially you, Isabelle. You're probably going to think we're freaks and/or psychos after this. Noah... just be quiet and act like you're listening, at least. It'll be over soon enough, and then—"

"You'll be dead, Edward and Alphonse Elric!" the group turned on their heels to find themselves face-to-face with the infamous chimera from Amestris—Dorchet. His uniform was torn off, and he was wearing something like he would wear from back home underneath. It was surely not a piece of clothing you'd find in stores here in France.

The brothers hardened their gaze on the dog chimera and smirked. _He's already been killed once in our world. It's shouldn't be hard for him to die a second time!_ Alphonse moved the two girls away and joined his older brother, primed for the fight. Even without their alchemy, the two young men believed they could fight and kill the chimera.

"He shouldn't be too hard, eh, Al?" Edward sarcastically asked.

"No way, big brother! Easy... as... PIE!!!"

And the battle was off.

Place your bets.


	9. Déjà Vu

**Disclaimer: **I... don't own FMA, sadly. sarcastically bursts into tears

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait, everyone, but here it is! Chapter 8!

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**Déjà Vu**

"_No way, big brother! Easy... as... PIE!!!"_

Dorchet scoffed as Al and Ed stormed towards him. When they were around three feet away, the chimera dodged them and ran away into the forest. _This'll give me some leverage. I've never climbed trees much, but... these are so close together, I should be able to use guerilla warfare easily._ He started climbing up a tree and noticed that Ed was conferring with Al, trying to devise a strategy.

"Like you'll ever catch me, you two-bit idiots!" the chimera yelled gleefully, jumping from the first tree and into the one to its right. The dense foliage covered him up, and only the rustling of leaves would ever reveal his location. _Now, it's time to get this party started!_ He pulled his sword that he had received from the police HQ out of his holder and peeked through the tree. Ah, perfect setup.

The half-canine steadied the hold he had on his two foot long sword and carefully jumped down onto the ground behind the tree. The Elrics were on the other side, still searching for him. His landing wasn't all that 'careful' as he had assumed—he wasn't a cat, after all. Alphonse had seen a flash of fabric and warned Edward in a whisper. Too bad for the Elrics that Dorchet had a very good sense of hearing, because with the space of time he had, the chimera was able to see Edward's attack and he dodged it once more. The only thing different was that this time a round, Dorchet took the liberty of stabbing Ed in the arm with his sword.

"Shit!" screamed the Fullmetal alchemist after being stabbed. He grabbed his arm and winced in pain as the blood flowed down his left arm. He cursed a bit more, and lunged at Dorchet, who was surprisingly still standing there, taking in the image of Edward in pain. Without thinking, Alphonse lunged at the chimera at the same exact time and they all ended up on the ground.

Dorchet grunted and pushed both boys away from him. Standing up, he laughed manically at the boys, astounded by their foolishness.

"At least time your attacks separately, dumbasse—" He was cut short by the pain he had just noticed. He looked at Alphonse, then at Edward... then, his lower stomach. _Oh sweet heavens, _thought the chimera. To his horror, his own sword was inside his intestines.

"How? How the...?" he croaked, falling to the ground while holding his bleeding stomach region. He looked up as Edward smirked at him, giving him the bird. And just then, he realized. _Damn it all. I lost my train of thought, wandered off into la-la land... and, shit! I've never done this before, so why does it happen now?_

"You weren't paying attention to your surroundings, Dorchet," Alphonse remarked while slightly smiling. This normally wouldn't be how Al would react to his brother giving another person a fatal wound, but... he had changed ever since arriving on Earth. The brunette had learned to be somewhat a mixture, par says, of him and his older brother. Alphonse still had manners though (unlike where Edward had next to none), but for this situation, he didn't really feel sorry for Dorchet. All he knew was that Dorchet being here was delaying their return to Munich and then home. He was just wondering one thing though, but Edward got to him first.

"One thing before you die, chimera. How did you reach the other side of the Gate when you died? I thought Gluttony ate you alive..." Edward asked.

Dorchet blearily looked up and laughed. Then, he pointed to his stomach. "You didn't know, did you? That Gluttony, when he 'ate me alive', I was transported to a fake Gate! Ha... haha! Oh, God... it's a long story. Maybe I'll just let you all figure it out..." his breaths were slowly becoming more and more rigid, "... on your own. That fat bastard is here after all, you'll just have to find him. Good luck... Fullmetal... ha... haha..." And, that was all he wrote. 

The two brothers hastily picked Dorchet up and placed him inside a clump of bushes—they didn't have the time or patience to give him a proper burial. _A fake Gate? How is that even possible??_ Edward thought.

"Brother? Do you think Dorchet was telling us the truth?" Al asked.

"I don't know, Al. He seemed a bit mad when he died, with all that laughing. But, if Gluttony's here, we need to get rid of him before we go home. This world needs our help. We've lived in it, taken food from it, and formed relationships with its inhabitants. We need to pay it back before we go back. Equivalent exchange, remember? They all can wait a little longer, eh?" the blonde replied.

Al hesitated for a moment, remembering Winry. _She always hated waiting for us. But, maybe... no, I'll ask brother. _

"No, we can't! Don't you remember Winry? She hated waiting for us!!! B-Brother..." Alphonse shook as his thoughts consumed him. Edward's eyes widened as he, too, realized what Al was getting at. _But, we owe this world for what we've taken from it. Dammit! How can I decide!? I can't put everything on a scale and weigh how much it means to me! ... Wait, I have an idea._

"Al?" Edward said, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder, "I think I have an idea." Alphonse looked up at his brother and nodded, telling him he was listening to his every word. "Maybe if we continue our journey, we might run into Gluttony on the way. We can keep on course, and not look for him, but in turn, we might find him, or vice-versa. That way, we won't be wasting any time. What do you say?"

The brunette pondered this idea for a moment when the two girls finally came back over from their hiding place. Ed glanced over to them and kind of smiled, motioning them to come on over while his breaths started becoming more rapid from his wound.

"It's safe now, you two. That guy—Dorchet's dead. He was... a chimera from our world. I know, Isabelle, that you're most likely thinking of running off now, but... please, believe us," Edward said blearily looking at the girls. He was really fatigued from that fight.

"You mean, you're... from a parallel world? Like in that book that some American wrote about?" Isabelle said, her eyes lighting up like she had just received the best gift anyone could ever get. By now, Ed had set himself down in front of a tree, leaning himself and his injured arm against it.

"Yes, that's what we mean," Al said in place of his brother, "You... believe us?"

"Ah, yes! I-I'm sort of a bookworm about this kind of stuff. I enjoy reading fantasies such as that, but... you mean it really does exist?" 

"Yes! Yes, it does. We're on our way back now."

"You are? Can I come???" Isabelle pleaded like a beggar.

"Will you two be quiet!!? Ed's hurt over here! We need to get him to a doctor, and quick! He's still losing blood!" Noah screamed from her position by Edward.

Al and Isabelle turned on their heels. Al dashed over to his brother and bent down beside Noah. Isabelle was right behind him.

"Brother... Brother? Can you hear me?" Al asked, putting his hand on his brother's head concernedly. Edward opened his eyes somewhat, and smiled faintly at Alphonse. He whispered something only Al could hear.

_'I love you, Al. Give Winry and the others my regards.'_

And then his eyes closed. Al scampered backwards in haste, his eyes watering up. _No, no. This can't be happening. Ed's not dead! He's not dead!!! _As tears flowed from his eyes, Alphonse made a quick decision.

"Isabelle, Noah! We need to get Ed to a hospital... **NOW**!" he yelled, picking Ed up on his own. Al put his brother over his shoulder and motioned for them to come with him. He saw a road not too far away, and all he could was hope that he wasn't too late. The two women followed; with anxious faces... no one knew what was going to happen.

_Oh please don't let me too late, brother! Please just have fainted... I can't lose you!!!_


	10. More Alternates!

**Disclaimer:** for all chapters after this one, too I do _not_ own Fullmetal Alchemist.

**A/N:** Sorry for the cliffhanger in the last chappy. I'm just... evil like that. XP And the whole fake Gate in Gluttony's stomach is sort of a small spoiler in the FMA manga, but that's it. "Miel? Nous sommes prêts," means "Honey? We are ready," in English, just so you know. And the actual fight happened somewhere in between noon and one o'clock...

---------------------

The road was becoming clearer by the second. It wasn't dirt, like the one on the other side of the forest, but it had two wider lanes, and it was cement. Alphonse spotted a medium-sized car driving on down towards them, and he waved to the person inside of it.

It slowed down when the person saw the injured man—Edward—and stopped before Al and the girls. A man lowered the driver's window and stared for a moment, but then asked, "Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé?" When Al glanced over at Isabelle, she shook her head and spoke to him in French. Once learning that Noah and Al knew no French, he drew back and asked his wife in French if she knew English (or at least that's what Al thought he had probably asked). It turned out she fortunately did.

She stepped out of the car, and said, "I'm terribly sorry. My husband speaks no English. But, what he meant to say was... what happened?" The woman looked down at Edward with caring eyes. She reminded Alphonse of Riza Hawkeye from Amestris, except she looked nothing like what you might call a 'military woman'.

Al heaved his brother back onto his shoulders more steadily, and managed to sputter out a good explanation for what had happened. He had so desperately wanted to tell this woman the truth, but that wouldn't work at the moment. _I'll save that for another time,_ he thought.

"I'm so sorry, but I just can't risk this car getting blood all over it," she explained while getting a blanket out of the small trunk. "But this blanket is old. It won't matter if it get's bloody. Miel? Nous sommes prêts." Her husband nodded and started up the car. Once Isabelle was seated, he started off.

The ride to the hospital—which was ten miles away—was almost deathly quiet. Only a few coughs and clearing of throats broke the silence. Near the end of the ride, the husband and wife chatted hurriedly in French, but that was it. Al couldn't have even opened up his mouth to speak if he had wanted to. The truth was that he was in harsh denial of what had happened to his brother.

Once the emergency room section came into view, Alphonse and his two female companions heaved a sigh. Maybe we're not too late. Please, don't let us be too late. Immediately after the car stopped, Al and the others got out of the car and helped to carry Edward inside. The nurse at the sign-in station gasped as she saw the blonde being carried in, but was able to call for a stretcher and some doctors.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooo**

"So, Edward Elric. He's still breathing—slightly—and his heartbeat is as normal as it can be right now. He should be fine, but he'll have to rest here for the night so we can keep a close eye on him. I can give you a recommendation for a hotel around here. I'm sure you all don't want to stay here after—"

"No. I want to stay here, doctor. I need to stay by my brother's side," Alphonse said quietly from his chair.

The doctor nodded in understanding and then busied himself with the two girls. Alphonse was lost in his thoughts. _I feel so stupid for thinking you were dead back there, brother. How could I have given up that easily? I-I guess that just shows how much I need you, Ed._

"Al?" Noah tenderly asked. Al, noticing she meant him, looked up at her and smiled as best as he could. A few stray tear stains were on his face, but that was it. She continued on, telling him that she and Isabelle were going to spend the night at a hotel on Elkwedge Avenue.

"—you can't miss it. Well, we had better be off now. Oh, Al. I'm so sorry about this..." She pulled him into an awkward embrace that Al graciously clung to for a few seconds before letting go.

"Thank you, Noah. If you need me, just call here."

After saying their goodbyes, Alphonse was left with his brother. Without even an ounce of restraint, the brown-haired boy found himself talking to his brother, even though he was in a sedated sleep.

"I'm sorry, brother. It shouldn't have been you. It should have been me. Dorchet should have attacked me instead. I mean, you've already experienced more than enough pain in your lifetime. I was stuck in that metal armor for four years, never experiencing pain... I'm sorry, Ed."

Just then, Alphonse heard a gasp from the doorway. He jolted up from surprise and noticed that it was that lady, the one who had helped them get here. _Why is she still here? Oh no, she heard me speak of... oh, great!_

"Sorry, Miss. You weren't supposed to hear that. Do you want me to explain it to you...?!" he was stopped when he felt, again, warm arms embracing him. _Well, did I not get the memo that today was National Embracing Day or what_? He thought amused. When she let go, he looked up at her with confused eyes. She sat down in the chair beside him and sighed.

"Sorry. I never told you my name. It's Riza. Strange name around France, I know. I come from Russia, actually. So, I know three languages in total. My husband, Roy, only knows Russian and French. Did you mean what you just said? You were... stuck in a suit of armor for four years without the sense of pain?" she asked.

_Riza...and...Roy. Oh lord, does that mean what I think it means? Are the lieutenant and general meant to be together on our side as well? It would make sense, though._ Al nodded and looked toward Edward. _How can I explain this to her, brother?_

"I couldn't sleep or eat either, Riza," he said, grimacing at the memory, "I-The story's long. Maybe we should just wait until my brother wakes up. He'd probably know how to explain Amestris better than I could. He was a state alchemist, after all. I'm sorry. I still sometimes forget that alchemy doesn't work in this world," he concluded after seeing her eyes widen in amazement.

"No, no. It's not; well, it partly is that... but Edward's heartbeat is picking up," she remarked, making him cast his eyes onto his older brother.

Alphonse then turned in his seat and leaned over his brother, so he could see the heart rate monitor. _It is picking up! But, the doctor said it probably wouldn't until the morning. I knew he was a fighter! _

"Ed?" he asked, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Brother, you awake?"

**ooooooooooooooooooooooo**

Opening his eyes, Edward looked around the room as best as he could. _W-What? How'd I get here all of a... sudden?_ It was almost pitch white, like an insane asylum. But somehow the blonde knew it wasn't. Although, he did feel something strange on the lower section of his left arm. Before he could see what it was, though, he heard a soft voice calling out for him.

_'Brother? You awake?'_

"Al?" he asked, turning to his right. He then saw a pair of grayish looking eyes widen in excitement. _Al..._

"Brother!! You are awake! The doctor said you wouldn't until morning, but... here you are at seven o'clock at night, awake! That's wonderful!"

Edward sat up the instant he heard the word doctor. I'm _in a hospital? Oh, right. Dorchet. Damn it. This is hindering our progress back towards home! _Ed surveyed the white cast that had been placed on his left arm and sputtered out some curse words.

"Dammit! I can't stay here any longer. We have to get on going or we'll never get back to Munich!" he exclaimed hotly. He turned around and faced Al, and then he saw that lady.

"Sorry, you're brother here already started explaining about your, uh, Amestris world. I overheard him. Oh! I'm Riza, by the way," the lady said, blushing from embarrassment.

"Oh, well, uh... That's okay. Are you going to turn us in as insane men?" Edward said, his temper rising. He wasn't exactly in the mood to wait here any longer. "Because no matter what you say, I know Amestris is real! I'm not going to let anyone say different!"

Riza shook her head and explained that she was one of the few that did believe in a parallel world. She also said that she had gotten this theory from that American's book. _Looks like that guy is saving us a lot of time. I should... thank him sometime,_ the alchemist thought fondly to himself.

"Well, I don't have the time to explain it all to you now, but... maybe later? You have a phone number I assume? Since well, while you're at it, I could use someone to thank that American guy who wrote that book. He's saved us a lot of time getting back home," he said, grinning. The woman agreed to his asking. She wrote down her phones number and gave it to him, but did mention that if her husband were to pick up... he'd have to know some French.

He laughed for the first time since he'd been in the room and said, "Don't worry. We have Isabelle for that."

Even though he wasn't supposed to be dismissed until the morning, they managed to get out with Isabelle and Noah after saying their quick goodbyes to the couple who looked strangely like Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye. On the road that led to Paris (guessing that the road sign was right), Ed and Al reminisced of home.

"Strange how there's so many people here who remind us of those back home, eh, brother? And those two had the same names as the general and the lieutenant! Isn't that strange?" Al said as they continued down the road towards the gleaming amber sunset.

"Yeah..." Ed replied, taking in the moment for once in his life. But soon, the tranquil moment was intercepted by the two girls.

"C'mon you two! We have to hurry up, or that car rental place down the street will close soon!!" Isabelle and Noah said, pulling the two boys behind them by their arms.

"Don't pull on the cast, Isabelle!!" Edward screamed, switching her hand to his right automail arm. When Isabelle felt the metallic surface where Ed's flesh-and-blood hand should have been, she turned to him in curiosity.

"What's with your arm?" she asked.

"Oh, have I got a lot of explaining to do... _damn_..." he said, smiling at the dark-haired alternate Winry.


End file.
